Elastic ball check valve



Feb. 12, 1963 M n. BENNETT ETAL 3,077,204

ELASTIC BALL CHECK VALVE Filed Dec. 5, 1957 y f: 42 l 20 k A.

L INVENTORS' ilniteri States @arent il? 3,077,204 ELASHC BALL CHECK VALVE Marvin D. Bennett, Glendale, and Richard D. Bennett, La Canada, Calif., assignors to Thomsen Supply, inc., Los Angeles, Calif., a corporation of Caiifornia Filed Dee. 5, 1957, Ser. No. 70%,894 4 Claims. (Cl. 137-525) This invention deals generally with one-way check valves for controlling the ow of fluids and more particularly with an improved check valve which is ideally suited to controlling the ilow of granular tluid materials, such as plaster and cement slurry.

lt is now common practice in the building construction eld to apply cement and plaster materials to building walls byspraying. There is disclosed herein a new and improved constant delivery, positive displacement pump which is especially designed for this use.

v The improved one-way check valve of this invention is intended primarily for use in the improved pump described and illustrated herein. lt should be understood, however, that this particular use of the valve is intended to be purely illustrative and not limiting in nature.

A broad object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved check valve of the character described.

A more specific object of the invention is to provide a check valve which is ideally suited to controlling the ilow of granular iluid materials.

Another object of the invention is to provide a check v valve which is so constructed that granular particles in the material owing through the valve cannot prevent the valve which is adjustable to vary the distance of travel of its check valve member between open and closed positions so as to adapt the valve to use in a constant delivery plaster and cement spray pump, such as that disclosed herein.

A further object of the invention is to provide a check valve of the character described which is simple in construction, inexpensive to manufacture, relatively immune to wear, and otherwise ideally suited to its intended purposes.

The invention may be best understood from the following detailed description taken in connection with the annexed drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a top plan View, partly in section, of a constant delivery, positive displacement pump embodying a pair of check valves according to this invention and showing the valves in one position-of operation;

FIG. 2 is a view of the left-hand end of the pump in FIG. 1 showing the check valves in another position of operation;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged longitudinal section through one of the check valves in FIGS. 1 and 2 showing the ball check of the valve in one position;

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 3 showing the ball checkin another position; and

FIG. 5 illustrates a modied check valve according to the invention.

Referring now to these drawings, the illustrated constant delivery pump will be seen to comprise a trame 16 of any suitable design. Mounted on this frame is a hopper (not shown) for receiving a charge of material to be pumped. Tl e pump illustrated is especially designed to pump plaster and cement materials.

Indicated at la is a iirst, or main, piston pump unit. This unit includes a cylinder le having an inlet i8. This inlet has an intake passage 18 communicating to the 'atented Feb. l2, ld?,

hopper and to the adjacent end of cylinder i6. Pump unit i4- also has a discharge passage i7. Positioned within the inlet id is the new and improved one-way check valve 2t) of this invention. This valve, which will be presently described, allows tiow of material into the cylinder 16 through the inlet 18 but blocks flow in the reverse direction.

Movable in the cylinder 16 is a piston 22 having a piston rod 24. Rod 2li is connected to the lower end of an arm 25', the upper end of which is pivoted on a cross shaft 25ct on frame it). An intermediate point of arm 25 is pivotally connected, through a telescopically adjustable link 26, to a crank pin 27a on adisc 27. lDisc 27 is journalled on a terminally threaded, axial stud 23a projecting from the center of a circular ange 28 rigid on one end of a shaft 29 journalled on frame lid. Disc 27 is retained on the stud 28a by a nut, as shown. Frictionally received in aligned holes in the .disc and flange is a shear pin (not shown) which is sheared under excessive pumping loads to prevent damage to the equipment.

Shaft 29 is driven from a motor 31 to cause reciprocation of the piston Z2 in the cylinder 16. Disc 27 is removable, by removing its securing nut, for replacement by another disc having a crank pin 27a with a dierent eiective crank arm.

Mounted on the frame l@ is a second piston pump unit 32. This second pump unit includes an inlet conduit v34 through which extends the intake passage 34 for the latter unit. Conduit 34 is connected to the first pump unit 14 in such a way that intake passage 34 communicates with the discharge passage 17 of the first pump unit. Disposed in the conduit 3ftis a second one-way check valve 36 identical to the one-way valve Ztl. Valve 36 permits ow from the pump unit i4 to the pump unit 32 but blocks iloW in the reverse direction.

Second pump unit 32 includes a cylinder 3S in which is movable a piston liti. Piston 40 includes a rod 42, one end of which is pivotally attached to one end of an arm 44. The other end of arm 44 is pivoted on cross shaft 25a. Pump 32 is provided with approximately two-thirds of the displacement of pump 14 either by making the diameter of cylinder 38 less than that of cylinder 16 or by making the stroke of pump 32 less than that of pump i4.

Arm i4 journals an adjustable cam follower roller 46 which bears against a cam 4S removably keyed on the shaft 29. Roller 46 is adjustable along the arm to adjust the point of contact of the roller with cam 48. Cam 43 is thus rotated in synchronism with crank arm 27a and is operative to cause movement of the piston 40 to the left in its cylinder 38. The left-hand end ot' the cylinder 38 has an outlet S0 adapted for connection to a discharge hose S2, for example. This hose terminatesin a nozzle (not shown). The discharge passage 50 of the second pump unit extends through the outlet 50. Cam d3 is removable for reasons to be seen.

Referring now to FIGS. l and 2, as well as FIGS'. 3 and 4, illustrating valve Ztl of this invention in enlarged detail, the numeral 56 denotes an elastic check valve member in the' form of a rubber ball. Ball 56 is contained in a cylindrical housing 58. Housing 58 has a passage extending therethrough which is formed with a reduced inlet portion bore 6i! opening into an enlarged passage portion or chamber 62. Extending across the bore 6d are cross pins 64 which act as stops to limit lefthand travel of ball 56 in bore di).

Bore 6i? has a diameter approximately the same as or just slightly less than the diameter of ball S6, while the diameter of chamber 62 is substantially larger than ball 56. Pins 66 act as stops to limit right-hand movement of ball 56 in chamber 62. From this description, it will rials, such as plaster and cement.

vvary the output' of the pump for different jobs. when spraying a finish plaster coat, the rate of delivery "be seen that ball 56 is movable from bore 6d into charnber 62 in response to liow to the right through the valve. The clearance between the ball and the wall of chamber 62 provides a flow space about the ball.

When flow in the opposite direction occurs through the valve, ball 56 is forced into the bore Gti and against the cross pins 64 at the lefthand end of the bore. Axial pressure on the ball causes radial expansion of the latter against the wall of bore Gti to form a seal, as Shown in FIG. 4. During movement of ball S6 into the bore dil,

the wall of the latter is wiped clean by the ball (FiG. 3)

' so as to permit an eicient seal to be formed. Valve 36 is identical to valve 20 just described.

The illustrated valve is highly desirable for the use de' scribed since it is less prone to wear and accomplishes a liquid tight seal even with granular and abrasive mate Conventional check valves are not suitable for these latter materials inasmuch as any particles of the material on the seat of the check valve would prevent the latter from completely closing. During the pumping stroke, therefore, water in the materialwill be squeezed out past the slightly unseated check *va1ve. vThis results in instantaneous setting of the material in the valve and jamming of the latter.

Operation ofthe illustrated pump thus far described is as'follows. Assuming the hopper (not shown) to contain a charge of material to be pumped, such as moist plasterorcement, each right-hand' suction stroke of the,

piston 22 in the primary pump unit 14 draws material into 'thef cylinder 16 from thehopper. This material is 'pumped from the cylinder 16, through Iconduit 34 vto the second pump unit 32 during the left-hand, pumping stroke of the 'piston' 22. Al portion of this material tiows into cylinder 38 of the second pump unit.

The material entering the cylinder 38 of the second pump unit 32 exerts a force on the piston 40 tending `to move the latter to the right and force the roller 46 on Varml 44 against the cam 48. The shape of the cam 48 is such as to allow controlled right-hand movement 'ofi piston 40, 'under' the action ofthis force, during the f delivery stroke of the primary pump unit;

vof the'delivered material flows through the discharge 50 of the second Apump unit-tothe hose k52.

During each suction stroke of the primary pump unit, vthe piston 40 of the second pump unit 32 is forced to the left by'the cam 48. This pumping stroke of the second 'pumpunit' displaces the material remaining in the latter 'unit after the previous' delivery stroke of the primary pump unit. Thus, during each delivery and suction strokelof' the primary pump lunit 14, a portion of the material pumped by the latter pump unit is discharged through the discharge 50 ofthe second pump unit.

' Thesecond'purnp unit 32, therefore, in eect, evens out the Vsurges in the flow of material from the iirst pump unit 14 so asto maintain a substantially uniform delivery of material to the pump discharge 56 and hose 52.

In use of the illustrated pump for spraying cement, plaster, and other similar materials, it is desirabrlJ to us,

`of 'the pump is preferably less th-an for heavy base coats. Adjustment of Y'the pump output may be accomplished by replacing the crank plate 27 by o-ne having a different effective crank arm for its crank pin 27a, and replacing the cam 48 by a similarly shaped cam which will alter the total stroke of the second pump unit to fit the new stroke lof the first pump unit.

Thus, sevenal cams may be provided for selective mount ing on the pump, each cam being designed for a particular material or materias whose compression ratios fall within a particular range.

Compensation for a change in the compression ratio from one material to another may also be accomplished by adjusting the travel of the ball 5'6 in the check valves 20 and 36 of the invention, as illustrated lin FIG. 5. In this figure, the numeral denotes a sleeve formed with the inlet bore 60, which is slideable in the valve housing 5S. This sleeve mounts the cross pins 64 which limit movement of the ball -56 in the bore 60.

Sleeve 100 is adjusted in the axial directions indicated by a threaded shaft 162 operable exteriorly of the housing 5S. This `adjustment of -the sleeve has the elect of varying the travel of the ball 56 during closure of the valve and hence the volume of material necessary to effect closure of the valve.

In use, when a material to be pumped has less compressibility than the particular material for which the cam 43 is designed,rthe sleeve 100 will be shifted to the left, as viewed in FIG. 5, to increase the travel ofthe lball 56. This has the efectof increasing the travelof thev pump piston necessary to close the valve and hence compensating for :the lesser travel ofl the' piston required to compress the ma-terial. Withtmaterials having greater compressibility, of course, the sleevelllt is adjusted in the opposite direction.

Numerous-modifications lin design and'arrangement of partsof -the invention are possible within the scope of the following claims.

We claim:

l. Acheck valve `comprising a valve housing having a uid passage therethrough defined in part by a smooth walled cylindrical bore which. opens at one end into an enlarged chamber, an elastic ball check -in said passage movablebetween a closed vposition in-saidbore and-an open position in said chamber, said ball being receivable into said bore and being elastically expandable to form a sealV therein, `and said ball hav-ing a diameter which is appreciably less than-the cross-sectional dimensions of said chamber, stop means in saidvchamber to limit opening movement ofthe ball in the chamber in a direction away from said bore, land at least one cross pin extending across theV medial portion of said borevWith-in the cylindrical wall portion thereof to form an abutment therein which prevents extrusion of the ball through the bore and limits closing movement of the ball therein, and which, when the ball is forced -thereagainst by. tiuid pressure, forms a depression in lthe ball inthe medial region of thebore anda consequent compression in the center region of the ball such vas to thrust the ball off said pin when said uid pressure is relieved.l

2. The subject matter of claim l includingan additional cross pin extending across said bore at approximately right angles to and approximately copianarly with the iirst-mentioned cross pin.

3. A check valve comprising a valve housing having a uid passage therethrough defined in part by a smooth walled cylindrical bore which opens at one end into an enlarged chamber, an elastic ball check in said passage movable between a closed position in said bore and an open posi-tion in said chamber, said ball being receivable into said bore and being elastically expandable to form a seal therein, and said ball having `a diameter which is appreciably less than the cross-sectional dimensions of said chamber, stop means in said chamber to limit opening movementof the ball in the chamber in a direction awayfrom said bore, and atleast one cross pin extending across said lbore within the cylindrical wall portion thereof to form an abutment therein which prevents extrusion of the ball through the bore and limits closing movement of the ball therein, and which, when the vball is forced -thereagains-t by tluid pressure, forms a depression in the ball and -a consequent compression of the ball such as yto thrust the ball off said pin when said iuid pressure is relieved.

4. A valve comprising 4a valve housing having a fluid passage therethrough defined in part by a smooth Walled cylindrical bore, an elastic ball check in said passage movable between a closed position and an open position in said bore, said ball being receivable into said bore and being elastically expandable to form a liquid tight seal therein, and at least one cross pin extending across said -hore to -form an aubutrnent therein which prevents extrusion of -the lball through the bore and limits closing movement of the ball therein, and which, when the ball is forced thereagainst by -fluid pressure, forms a depression in the ball and a consequent compression of the ball such as to thrust the ball ot said pin when said uid pressure is relieved.

'References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Lowrie June 8, 1886 Simpson Feb. 15, 1908 Keller June 29, 1915 Clark Nov. 18, 1924 Serres Mar. 16, 1926 Fuchs Mar. 25, 1941 Linstedt Aug. 10, 1943 Strike Nov. 25, 1947 Longenecker Aug. 31, 1948 Martin Mar. 13, 1951 Longenecker Aug. 3, 1954 Cummings May 6, 1958 FOREGN PATENTS Germany May 14, 1891 

1. A CHECK VALVE COMPRISING A VALVE HOUSING HAVING A FLUID PASSAGE THERETHROUGH DEFINED IN PART BY A SMOOTH WALLED CYLINDRICAL BORE WHICH OPENS AT ONE END INTO AN ENLARGED CHAMBER, AN ELASTIC BALL CHECK IN SAID PASSAGE MOVABLE BETWEEN A CLOSED POSITION IN SAID BORE AND AN OPEN POSITION IN SAID CHAMBER, SAID BALL BEING RECEIVABLE INTO SAID BORE AND BEING ELASTICALLY EXPANDABLE TO FORM A SEAL THEREIN, AND SAID BALL HAVING A DIAMETER WHICH IS APPRECIABLY LESS THAN THE CROSS-SECTIONAL DIMENSIONS OF SAID CHAMBER, STOP MEANS IN SAID CHAMBER TO LIMIT OPENING MOVEMENT OF THE BALL IN THE CHAMBER IN A DIRECTION AWAY FROM SAID BORE, AND AT LEAST ONE CROSS PIN EXTENDING ACROSS THE MEDIAL PORTION OF SAID BORE WITHIN THE CYLINDRICAL WALL PORTION THEREOF TO FORM AN ABUTMENT THEREIN WHICH PREVENTS EXTRUSION OF THE BALL THROUGH THE BORE AND LIMITS CLOSING MOVEMENT OF THE BALL THEREIN, AND WHICH, WHEN THE BALL IS FORCED THEREAGAINST BY FLUID PRESSURE, FORMS A DEPRESSION IN THE BALL IN THE MEDIAL REGION OF THE BORE AND A CONSEQUENT COMPRESSION IN THE CENTER REGION OF THE BALL SUCH AS TO THRUST THE BALL OFF SAID PIN WHEN SAID FLUID PRESSURE IS RELIEVED. 